Abstract: A suspension of axial turret bearing units in a turret bearing comprises a rail support structure mounted on a turret bearing support structure, a circular rail mounted on the rail support structure, a plurality of axial bearing units running on rail, a shaft for each axial bearing unit with the bearing unit attached to the outer end of the shaft, and an inner support structure for supporting the inner end of each shaft. The suspension further comprises an outer shaft suspension close to each bearing unit, comprising a collar with an inner width similar to the width of the shaft and an inner height higher than the height of the shaft, a transitional section connected to the collar, a plate section connected to the transitional section and fastened to a bearing support structure on the turret, wherein the plate section spreads applied loads on the structure.

Abstract: A ball joint includes a suspension house comprising an inner side, a house neck and upper flange, wherein a bearing ring, having a liner fastened to its inner surface, and an upper mating surface fastened to the corresponding mating surface on the lower side of the house; a suspension ball, complementary to the inner side of the house, comprising a ball neck and lower flange, the ball having a recess on the inside of the ball, the recess comprising an inner seal ring positioned on a bias ring in the recess; the seal ring providing a seal contacting the inside of the house and a piston seal contacting the inner surface of the recess wherein the bias ring biases the seal ring parallel to the axis of the neck and away from the bias ring.

Abstract: A structural suspension of radial turret bearing wheels in a turret bearing comprises a rail support structure mounted on a turret bearing support structure, a circular rail mounted to the rail support structure, and a plurality of radial wheels running on the mainly vertical inner side of the rail. The suspension includes a vertical flexible shaft, for each radial wheel, supported by an upper and lower support with a part of the shaft protruding with the radial wheel mounted close to the outer end. The inner side of the rail is a frustum with the shortest radius at the top and an aperture of 2, and the outer mainly planar contacting surface of the wheel has an angle ? relative to the rotational axis of the wheel, and is overlaid with a convex curvature across the contacting surface.

Abstract: A rail system for large turret bearing includes a turret bearing support structure, a rail support ring provided with a L-shaped cross section including an inward directed wedge mating face, at least two rings of radially elongated segment bolt holes, and an outermost ring of wedge bolt holes, a plurality of rail segments together forming a complete circle with an outer radius slightly smaller than the radius of the wedge mating face of the rail support ring. Each segment includes a sloped outer wedge mating surface, a downward facing contact surface with threaded bolt holes corresponding to the bolt holes in the rail support ring, an upper largely horizontal surface, and an inner largely vertical surface.

Abstract: A device for coupling a riser comprises a flexible joint comprising flanges, a ball joint with a housing comprising a mating face; a connection pipe comprising flanges; a guide pipe comprising a hang off face; a hang off structure underneath a flange of the connection pipe comprising a coned section with a surface contacting the connection pipe, a spline having parts fitting into the connection pipe, hang off segments attached to the hang off structure, the segments providing a load transferring surface; and an adapter fastened to the flexible joint housing comprising a mating surface complementary to a mating surface of the flexible joint housing; support regions; a coned section above a support region, ending at a distance from the hang off structure and in contact with the connection pipe; at least one of the support regions and the flexible joint housing being in contact with the guide pipe.

Abstract: A structural suspension of radial turret bearing wheels in a turret bearing comprises a rail support structure mounted on a turret bearing support structure, a circular rail mounted to the rail support structure, and a plurality of radial wheels running on the mainly vertical inner side of the rail. The suspension includes a vertical flexible shaft, for each radial wheel, supported by an upper and lower support with a part of the shaft protruding with the radial wheel mounted close to the outer end. The inner side of the rail is a frustum with the shortest radius at the top and an aperture of 2, and the outer mainly planar contacting surface of the wheel has an angle ? relative to the rotational axis of the wheel, and is overlaid with a convex curvature across the contacting surface.

Abstract: A rail system for large turret bearing includes a turret bearing support structure, a rail support ring provided with a L-shaped cross section including an inward directed wedge mating face, at least two rings of radially elongated segment bolt holes, and an outermost ring of wedge bolt holes, a plurality of rail segments together forming a complete circle with an outer radius slightly smaller than the radius of the wedge mating face of the rail support ring. Each segment includes a sloped outer wedge mating surface, a downward facing contact surface with threaded bolt holes corresponding to the bolt holes in the rail support ring, an upper largely horizontal surface, and an inner largely vertical surface. The rail system includes trapeze shaped wedges each with at least one bolt hole and corresponding bolt(s), adapted to be tightened down between the wedge mating face of the support ring and the sloped outer wedge mating surface of the segments, and rail bolts for fastening the rail segments.

Abstract: A suspension of axial turret bearing units in a turret bearing comprises a rail support structure mounted on a turret bearing support structure, a circular rail mounted on the rail support structure, a plurality of axial bearing units running on rail, a shaft for each axial bearing unit with the bearing unit attached to the outer end of the shaft, and an inner support structure for supporting the inner end of each shaft. The suspension further comprises an outer shaft suspension close to each bearing unit, comprising a collar with an inner width similar to the width of the shaft and an inner height higher than the height of the shaft, a transitional section connected to the collar, a plate section connected to the transitional section and fastened to a bearing support structure on the turret, wherein the plate section spreads applied loads on the structure.

Abstract: A hollow tube connector is used to make detachable fluid-tight connection of two connector parts. The tube connector includes a first connector part, wherein a first of its two axial ends is configured to connect to a pipeline on a vessel, and a second connector part, wherein a first of its two axial ends is configured to connect to a pipeline on an STP-buoy. The coupling surfaces of the second axial ends include a non-crossing groove circumferentially around the contact surfaces, and a groove located on one of the contact surfaces and having a mirror-imaged groove located on the other contact surface. The two opposite grooves form an encompassing cavity upon contact of the contact surfaces. At least one of the contact surfaces is tapered relative to an axis perpendicularly to a center axis and forms a pre-tensioned abutment which increases the resistance to relative motions between the contact surfaces.

Abstract: A ball joint includes a suspension house comprising an inner side, a house neck and upper flange, wherein a bearing ring, having a liner fastened to its inner surface, and an upper mating surface fastened to the corresponding mating surface on the lower side of the house; a suspension ball, complementary to the inner side of the house, comprising a ball neck and lower flange, the ball having a recess on the inside of the ball, the recess comprising an inner seal ring positioned on a bias ring in the recess; the seal ring providing a seal contacting the inside of the house and a piston seal contacting the inner surface of the recess wherein the bias ring biases the seal ring parallel to the axis of the neck and away from the bias ring.

Abstract: A coupler device for coupling first and second pipe bodies and a method for using the coupler device are disclosed, the coupler device including—a first connector hub configured to be connected to the first pipe body; a second connector hub configured to be connected to the second pipe body; a clamp configured to clamp the first and second connector hubs together, the clamp comprising two or more clamping members; and two or more clamping rods, along which the clamping members are configured to be displaced, wherein the at least two clamping rods are rigidly connected to the first connector hub.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bearing arrangement for a bearing wheel in a turret, the bearing arrangement being providable between the bearing wheel and a wheel shaft around which the bearing wheel is rotatably connectable. The bearing arrangement includes a slide bearing enabling the bearing wheel to slide axially on the shaft. The bearing arrangement further includes a roller bearing. A plurality of bearing arrangements may form a bearing system that is employed in a turret of a vessel. A method for mounting a bearing arrangement in a bearing system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for coupling a riser comprises a flexible joint comprising flanges, a ball joint with a housing comprising a mating face; a connection pipe comprising flanges; a guide pipe comprising a hang off face; a hang off structure underneath a flange of the connection pipe comprising a coned section with a surface contacting the connection pipe, a spline having parts fitting into the connection pipe, hang off segments attached to the hang off structure, the segments providing a load transferring surface; and an adapter fastened to the flexible joint housing comprising a mating surface complementary to a mating surface of the flexible joint housing; support regions; a coned section above a support region, ending at a distance from the hang off structure and in contact with the connection pipe; at least one of the support regions and the flexible joint housing being in contact with the guide pipe.

Abstract: A chain stopper is connectable to a support structure, such as a platform, and comprises: a chain locking portion for automatically engaging a first chain link of a chain so as to prevent the chain from being pulled in a first direction and; an activation portion connected to the chain locking portion. The activation portion is configured such that, upon pulling the chain in a second direction, the activation portion is adapted to be engaged by the chain so as to disengage the chain locking portion from the first chain link, allowing the chain to be pulled in the second direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bearing arrangement for a bearing wheel in a turret, the bearing arrangement being providable between the bearing wheel and a wheel shaft around which the bearing wheel is rotatably connectable. The bearing arrangement includes a slide bearing enabling the bearing wheel to slide axially on the shaft. The bearing arrangement further includes a roller bearing. A plurality of bearing arrangements may form a bearing system that is employed in a turret of a vessel. A method for mounting a bearing arrangement in a bearing system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A chain stopper is connectable to a support structure, such as a platform, and comprises: a chain locking portion for automatically engaging a first chain link of a chain so as to prevent the chain from being pulled in a first direction and; an activation portion connected to the chain locking portion. The activation portion is configured such that, upon pulling the chain in a second direction, the activation portion is adapted to be engaged by the chain so as to disengage the chain locking portion from the first chain link, allowing the chain to be pulled in the second direction.

Abstract: A hollow tube connector is used to make detachable fluid-tight connection of two connector parts. The tube connector includes a first connector part, wherein a first of its two axial ends is configured to connect to a pipeline on a vessel, and a second connector part, wherein a first of its two axial ends is configured to connect to a pipeline on an STP-buoy. The coupling surfaces of the second axial ends include a non-crossing groove circumferentially around the contact surfaces, and a groove located on one of the contact surfaces and having a mirror-imaged groove located on the other contact surface. The two opposite grooves form an encompassing cavity upon contact of the contact surfaces. At least one of the contact surfaces is tapered relative to an axis perpendicularly to a center axis and forms a pre-tensioned abutment which increases the resistance to relative motions between the contact surfaces.

Abstract: A coupler device for coupling first and second pipe bodies and a method for using the coupler device are disclosed, the coupler device including—a first connector hub configured to be connected to the first pipe body; a second connector hub configured to be connected to the second pipe body; a clamp configured to clamp the first and second connector hubs together, the clamp comprising two or more clamping members; and two or more clamping rods, along which the clamping members are configured to be displaced, wherein the at least two clamping rods are rigidly connected to the first connector hub.

Abstract: A device for rotating a turntable includes a turret and a turntable bearing The turret is rotatable in a through-going opening or well in the hull of a vessel and has axial and radial bearing assemblies arranged in a polar array about the turret center line. In order to reduce the substantial wear caused by relative movements between the axial wheels of the bearing assembly and the circular rail on the bearing support structure, the axial wheels are conically shaped with a double curved surface rolling on the upward facing edge of the circular rail with a slope aligned with an extension line of the rail substantially intersecting with the shaft center line at the center line of the turret. The radial bearing assembly includes horizontally arranged radial wheels with double curved surfaces. Each wheel rolls on an inward facing edge of the circular rail.

Abstract: A device for rotating a turntable includes a turret and a turntable bearing The turret is rotatable in a through-going opening or well in the hull of a vessel and has axial and radial bearing assemblies arranged in a polar array about the turret center line. In order to reduce the substantial wear caused by relative movements between the axial wheels of the bearing assembly and the circular rail on the bearing support structure, the axial wheels are conically shaped with a double curved surface rolling on the upward facing edge of the circular rail with a slope aligned with an extension line of the rail substantially intersecting with the shaft center line at the center line of the turret. The radial bearing assembly includes horizontally arranged radial wheels with double curved surfaces. Each wheel rolls on an inward facing edge of the circular rail.